Masquerade bb-2

by Мелисса Де Ла Круз

  "The crisis in Roanoke, we believe, happened because several of our people in that settlement had already been corrupted when they left the Old World.”

  "How do you know if you've been corrupted?" Bliss asked nervously.

  In answer, Forsyth began lifting the gauze from Bliss's neck. He unwrapped the bandage.

  Bliss looked at her father anxiously. What was he going to show her? Had she been turned into a monster?

  Her father handed her a small hand mirror from the nurse's table.

  She brought it up to her neck, dreading what she would see.

  But her neck was smooth, as clear and unblemished as before.

  "What does it mean?”

  "There are no marks, which means the poison was not strong enough to hold. Your Blue Blood, the sangre azul, was able to rehabilitate your chemistry on its own. Heal itself, and protect you from corruption. The Croatan did not make you one of its own.”

  She nodded, grateful and relieved. She had survived…. She wasn't sure how, but she had lived.

  "There will be other tests," Forsyth warned. "One of the Elders will administer them to you. They will ask you to share your memories, to commune with them. To show them what you saw. But I am confident you will pass their judgment.”

  Her father was about to leave the room, but Bliss called out another question. "But, Dad, if one had been corrupted…how could you tell?”

  "It's hard to say, but we have noticed that those who have befallen corruption tend to be drawn to the Dark Matter, and to start exhibiting curiosity concerning the Black Spells.”

  Later that evening, Nan Cutler, one of the high-ranking Wardens, arrived to visit Bliss.

  Nan was one of the bird-thin, elegant society women in Priscilla DuPont’s circle; she had a shock of white hair with a raven stripe in the middle. The city knew her as an indefatigable fund-raiser and shopper of high-end couture. But when she came into Bliss's hospital room that evening, all traces of the public facade were gone. Here was a formidable, centuries-old vampire. Bliss could see the faint blue blood lines on her face.

  She introduced herself to Bliss, then took a seat at her bedside.

  By evening, sensation had returned to Bliss's limbs, and she was feeling much better already.

  "Take my hands, child," Nan said softly. Bliss placed both of her hands in the old lady's soft ones. Nan's hands were smooth and unwrinkled.

  "Now close your eyes and take me back to yesterday evening. Show me everything you saw.”

  The glom. Nan would use the glom to read her mind, Bliss knew. She had to open her mind and let the old woman see.

  Bliss nodded.

  She closed her eyes.

  Together, they saw what had happened. Bliss, waiting in the reception area for Kingsley.

  They saw Renfield bring a list of files to Priscilla DuPont. They saw Schuyler walk in and ask if she had seen Oliver. They saw several girls from Duchesne check out books for the next Committee meeting.

  Then all went black. A dark, noxious smoke engulfed the entire area….

  Bliss waited for the beast to appear, but all they saw was the thick, black smoke.

  When she opened her eyes, Nan was scribbling in her notebook.

  "Good," Nan said. "Now, if you please, lift your hair and show me the back of your neck.”

  The back of my neck?

  Bliss did as told. Nan nodded. "You may put your hair down.”

  After the Warden left, her father walked in and hugged her tight.

  Whatever test it was, it looked as though she had passed. The back of her neck…

  Part of the test…

  She thought of how Kingsley's hair was so long, it always covered the back of his neck. A fashion statement? Or was he hiding something?

  Kingsley…who carried that book around with him all the time, the materia acerbus.

  Kingsley, who had taught her to palaver with the beast of her nightmares.

  Kingsley Martin, who was part of an old, old, Blue Blood family. One of the most powerful, and the most prestigious…

  Bliss closed her eyes. She saw the beast again, the beast had spoken to her. It had said one word…

  Now.

  FORTY

  Schuyler was brushing her teeth when her cell phone rang. She rinsed, gargled, and spit, quickly wiped her face, and ran to pick it up. It was early in the morning, and she was getting ready for school.

  "Yeah?”

  "Is that any way to answer the phone?”

  "Oh, Bliss. Hey. Sorry. I thought it was Oliver. He always calls in the morning.”

  "Sorry to disappoint.”

  "No, not at all. How are you?" Schuyler asked. She had been meaning to visit Bliss in the clinic, but the past several days had been hectic, what with trying to keep up with a full class schedule, vampire lessons, and deal with the fact that her grandfather was getting ready for the battle royal of his life. The White Vote had been called, and the election was imminent.

  "Better," Bliss said. "You, uh, know what happened to me, right?”

  "Yeah," Schuyler said. "My grandfather said it was a Croatan, but that you were safe.”

  Bliss told Schuyler about the test, opening her mind up to Nan Cutler, and how the marks on her neck disappeared. "The same thing happened to me," Schuyler said.

  "Remember? The night we modeled for that shoot?"

  "Yeah.”

  "I was attacked, but the marks disappeared. And I couldn't remember anything.”

  "She also wanted to see the back of my neck. Isn't that odd?”

  Schuyler nodded, even though Bliss wasn't able to see her. “Actually, that's another kind of test, my grandfather said. Nan came over here, too. To check me out.”

  "Really? I'm not the only one?”

  "No, of course not. Everyone there that night has to be tested.”

  "Cool.”

  "So, what's up?”

  "Listen, I found out something from my dad. You know how The Committee always said there was no such thing as the Silver Bloods?”

  "Uh-huh.”

  "Well, I guess they're coming around.”

  "Yeah, I heard that too," Schuyler said. Lawrence had filled her in on the politics of the Conclave. Now that a full-grown vampire had been taken, the Conclave was up in arms and primed for revolt. The Silver Bloods were a grim reality they would have to face.

  "Anyway, my dad said that it has to be one of us someone high up, an old family," Bliss said.

  "That's what Cordelia always said too.”

  "You might think this is crazy," Bliss said, "but I think I know who did it.”

  "Who did what?”

  "I mean, I think I know who's harboring the Silver Blood, or Silver Bloods," Bliss said. "I think Kingsley has something to do with it.”

  Bliss told Schuyler her suspicions, and how they matched up with what her father had told her about corruption his intense curiosity about the Dark Matter, the odd book she always saw Kingsley reading, the way he was so familiar with Silver Blood history and mythology.

  Schuyler whistled. "I don't know…it sounds suspicious…but don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?”

  "Maybe, but I'm stuck in here for another week," Bliss said. "Do you think you and Oliver could look into it?”

  Later that week, Schuyler and Oliver dug up a few interesting facts about the new boy.

  The Repository had been restored to somewhat usable condition (the Velox factor came in handy). All the dust and plaster had been cleared, and nothing remained of the explosion except for a small, hairline crack in the middle of the marble floor. It was amazing what vampires could do when they set their minds to it.

  Tracking Kingsley's whereabouts was easy with Oliver's network of connections in the private-school circuit, as well as some clever computer sleuthing.

  Schuyler called Bliss at the clinic to let her know what they had found. "The Martins moved to New York the same night that you said Dylan was murdered," she said. “And we found out K
ingsley spent summer school at Hotchkiss, where that girl was killed, and he'd spent a week at Choate visiting a friend, where a sophomore had been found dead right before school started.

  He was here in New York the night of Aggie's death at Block 122, and he was also at the party where Landon Schlessinger died.”

  "I knew it!" Bliss said.

  "There's other stuff: Kingsley was the last person to visit Summer Amory. Oliver said the gossip was that he was dating her. So that places him at the scene of all the crimes. But I'm not sure, it could just be coincidence. Lots of other Blue Blood kids spent summer school at Hotchkiss, go to Choate, were at Block 122 that night, and knew Landon Schlessinger. And Summer Armory was dating a bunch of people. I'm sure if we wanted to, we could find several other people who fit the bill.”

  "No, it has to be him. I know it is," Bliss said emphatically.

  “Are you going to tell your dad about this?”

  "I'm not sure. He's kind of an adviser to Kingsley's family. I mean…”

  "I'll tell Lawrence." Schuyler offered. "He'll know what to do.”

  When Schuyler presented their case to Lawrence at dinner, with all of Bliss's suspicions and the incriminating evidence, her grandfather hardly looked up from his rib-eye steak.

  "Interesting," he said absentmindedly.

  "Interesting, that's it?" Schuyler asked. "But don't you think we might have something here?”

  Lawrence took a sip from his wineglass. "Perhaps." That was all he would say on the matter, and Schuyler could not get anything out of him for the rest of the evening.

  FORTY-ONE

  The Committee's investigation on the incident at the Repository called for a public hearing, wherein all the witnesses to the attack were called to testify before The Committee. The hearing took place inside one of the massive courtrooms underneath the Repository. The members of the Conclave sat in a row on a high platform, facing the crowd, Charles Force in the middle. Lawrence Van Alen was seated to the far right, and was already puffing on his customary cigar. The new Chief Warden, Edmund Oelrich, a famous art historian and gallery owner in his public life, ran the proceedings from his seat up on the platform. There was a small podium to the side where witnesses were called, and the inquisitor, The Committee's official prosecutor, stood across from it.

  The seats in the courtroom were filled with almost all the Blue Blood families, and tension ran high as Schuyler, Jack, Bliss, and Oliver described their version of the events one by one. They were seated next to each other in the front row. Mimi was seated next to Jack, and was still waiting for her turn. She was nervous about the investigation, but figured there had to be some way to bluff her way through it. After all, it wasn't like she had wanted Bliss to be hurt or Priscilla DuPont dead not in the least! She couldn't have cared less about the old bag. It was just an unfortunate accident. They had to understand that, right? If there was no motive, they couldn't find her guilty, could they? She reached over to grab her brother's hand, and Jack gave it a warm squeeze.

  The inquisitor called Kingsley Martin to the stand. "State your name for the records.”

  "Kinsgley Drexel Martin.”

  "And your position.”

  Position? Mimi raised an eyebrow. What was this all about?

  "I am a Truth Seeker. A Veritas Venator. I was commissioned by The Committee to investigate the deaths of several Blue Bloods: Aggie Carondolet, Dylan Ward, Summer Armory, Natalie Getty, Landon Schlessinger, and Grayson St. James.”

  A murmur ran through the crowd. Older Blue Bloods knew Venators as the highest order of The Committee's secret police, fearless warriors in the fight to keep the Blue Bloods safe from harm and discovery.

  "And your mission?" The inquisitor prompted.

  "I was sent to the Duchesne School to accumulate any evidence that might lead to the detection of the enemy," Kingsley said evenly.

  Another murmur, this time more agitated. A Venator had been sent to one of their safest sanctuaries Duchesne! What was The Committee thinking, sending one of their powerful assassins to spy upon school children?

  "Who were the suspects?”

  "Madeleine Force. Bliss Llewellyn. Schuyler Van Alen.”

  This time there was an audible gasp from the crowd. Kingsley was an undercover agent!

  A latter day Johnny Depp on 21 Jump Street, an undercover vampire working the teen beat.

  Schuyler gaped, Bliss couldn't help but laugh, and Mimi only gnashed her teeth. That little prick.

  "And what did your findings show?”

  "I immediately crossed off Schuyler Van Alen. She was a victim of two Silver Blood attacks and did not show any indication of being drawn to the Dark Matter," Kingsley said, taking out a small notebook from his jacket pocket and flipping through his notes.

  "Bliss Llewellyn was a more promising subject. She has complained of nightmares and delusions, similar to those suffered by Maggie Stanford before her demise. But due to these delusions, I had to conclude that Bliss was a possible victim and not a perpetrator.”

  "And Madeleine?”

  "I have concluded that Madeleine Force harbors the Silver Blood that has been attacking our community," Kingsley said, his tone of voice almost casual.

  "Quiet! Quiet in the court!" The Chief Warden admonished, as the crowd became even more angry and agitated. Several vampires stood from their seats, and there was hissing and booing at Kingsley's testimony. Mimi Force—the Regis's daughter—Silver Blood accomplice? Was this some kind of joke?

  "And the basis for your evidence?" The Chief Warden grunted from the high platform.

  "She expressed a desire to learn more about the Dark Matter. Specifically, she wanted to know how to perform the Incantation Demonata. The call for the Silver Blood.”

  “And why did she say she wanted to do this?”

  "She said she wanted to finish off an enemy," Kingsley said, looking straight at Mimi.

  Mimi quavered in her seat. Lies, lies. All lies! Stop talking! Shut up! Shut up! You were my friend! Traitor!

  "And that was Bliss Llewellyn.”

  "No.”

  "No?" The inquisitor looked mildly surprised.

  "No.”

  "Who was the intended target?”

  "Schuyler Van Alen.”

  There was another angry buzz among the audience.

  Schuyler felt herself freeze. So she wasn't just paranoid—Mimi did want to destroy her.

  She remembered her dream in which her mother was awake and speaking to her. What had Allegra said? Beware.

  "Why did you allow her to perform the incantation?" The Chief Warden asked.

  "I needed the evidence. I thought I could control it, stop her before it happened. But I could not. It was obvious she had done this before. Many times.”

  "Thank you, Venator.”

  Kingsley stepped down. Now that his identity was known, he looked much older, the cocky adolescent boy had been a facade, merely a pose. He walked gravely to his seat in the front row next to the Duchesne kids, and they gave him a respectful berth.

  "The investigation now calls Charles Force to the stand," the Chief Warden announced.

  The head of the coven staggered down to the podium from his seat on the high platform.

  His own daughter, harboring a Silver Blood! The shame of it was written all over his face. His silver hair looked white under the light, and there were heavy bags under his eyes. He looked like a broken man, not the indefatigable leader of the vampires.

  "State your full name for the record," The inquisitor ordered.

  "Charles Van Alen Force.”

  "Have you witnessed your daughter meddle with the Black Spells?”

  "Yes, but…" Charles answered, wiping his brow with a silk handkerchief.

  "Incantations. Forbidden spells.”

  "Yes, but…

  "That will be all. Thank you," the inquisitor said, cutting off his testimony.

  Charles looked as though he wanted to say something more, but his words died on
his tongue. He looked ashen and disheartened. He stepped down and walked back to his seat with the Conclave.

  None of the members of the Conclave would look at him, and several in the crowd began to boo and hiss.

  "As final evidence against Madeleine Force, we present the Mark. I believe you will find it on the back of her neck," the inquisitor declared.

  "That's absolutely ludicrous. I don't bear the Mark of Lucifer any more than the rest of you," Mimi said. She wanted to scream. This was a travesty. She was being set up!

  "Lift your hair, please," the Chief Warden directed.

  Mimi gathered her hair and lifted it. She had done this for Nan Cutler the night before, when she had come to perform the test. Nothing had happened, and she was certain she had been cleared.

  There was an agitated murmur from the Conclave.

  "What?”

  Your neck, Mimi, there's something on your neck.

  Jack, you're scaring me.

  She felt the back of her neck with the tips of her fingers. Raised flesh. A tattoo. More like a burn, like a cattle brand.

  Judgment was swift and resolute. Mimi was the perpetrator. She was found guilty of conspiring with a Silver Blood. She would be taken to their ancient prison in Venice, where her blood would be burned, her memories destroyed, with no hope of reincarnation. Bail was set for one million dollars, which her father promptly paid, so that Mimi could be released to his custody.

  Mimi looked at Jack. This can't be happening…I didn't do it. You know I didn't.

  I know. I know. Jack put an arm around his sister, but his face was lined with anxiety. This was serious. Sentenced to burn! Mimi!

  The Force twins waited for Charles to walk down the platform to their side. He still had the same shell-shocked look on his face.

  "Father, what can we do now?" Mimi said. "Surely…"

  Charles Force was aghast. "There is nothing…"

  "Nothing?”

  "There is only one way to refute the Mark of Lucifer. You must submit to an even more ancient custom. The blood trial. But only Gabrielle—Allegra Van Alen—is able to perform this.”

  "Gabrielle?" Mimi asked, with a sinking feeling.

  "Yes.”

  A whole lot of good that was going to do her. Allegra was in a coma and would never wake up.